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New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:04 pm
by R-Tape
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Here it is: Pushbot.

A fully playable demo of 27 multicolour Sokoban levels in order of increasing difficulty. Levels can be skipped.

Nothing to get tooo excited about, but I wanted to get this in the archive in case I never touch it again. It's a BiFrost version of Sokoban, using levels from Dr Beep's SokobONE, which in turn were taken from various - SOKOMIND and LOMA. I chose them because they fit the screen and are the best type of Sokoban level - small and deceptively challenging.

It's not the smoothest play but it's a nice enough way to experience some of the best Sokoban levels there are.

Who knows, I may even return to it someday.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:19 am
by 4thRock
Excellent game and graphics! :D Enjoying it very much!

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:50 am
by Ralf
Very good graphics !

Some years ago I would never believe that it's Spectrum if someone showed it to me.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:35 pm
by Spud
The first level (and probably every one) is impossible.

Other than that: Well done!

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:43 pm
by Joefish
Level 3 is quite easy!
Possibly needs the levels to be re-ordered for increasing difficulty.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:50 pm
by Joefish
Then again, I wouldn't know if there's anything after level 4 as that one REALLY IS IMPOSSIBLE!

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:51 pm
by Sokurah
Spud wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:35 pm The first level is impossible
No, it's perfectly completable ;)

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Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:51 pm
by Spud
OK, confession time: I rage-quit after level one.

I have just skipped to level 3 and it is indeed easy :)

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:52 pm
by Spud
Sokurah wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:51 pm
Spud wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:35 pm The first level is impossible
No, it's perfectly completable ;)

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Ahh! So simple now I see the solution. Can you record it all for me so I can watch you complete it. :)

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:58 pm
by Spud
Joefish wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:50 pm Then again, I wouldn't know if there's anything after level 4 as that one REALLY IS IMPOSSIBLE!
I just did 4! It was easier than level 1.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:08 pm
by R-Tape
Joefish wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:43 pm Level 3 is quite easy!
Possibly needs the levels to be re-ordered for increasing difficulty.
Spud wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:58 pm I just did 4! It was easier than level 1.
I think level 1 might be slightly out of place, but I think the rest are in order of difficulty. I think.

I've completed them all at least once! :-p

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:01 pm
by Ersh
Nice multi coloured graphics! I really enjoy the size of the puzzles, being smaller, they don't feel all that overwhelming. Only had time to complete 2 levels, will play more this evening. Great job!

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:26 pm
by Joefish
I think we can all agree it's batshit mental. Or a bit tricky.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:58 pm
by Ralf
It's hard!

I reached level 10 and gave up. It's impossible!

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 10:36 pm
by Kweepa
Lovely little game, thanks!
It's amazing that these tiny levels seem impossible at first, and then suddenly they are easy.
Well done the people that the people you stole from from.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:46 pm
by Sokurah
Kweepa wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 10:36 pm Well done the people that the people you stole from from.
:lol:

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:06 am
by Kweepa
Damn, I missed the second "stole" between the "from"s :(

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:28 am
by R-Tape
Kweepa wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:06 am Damn, I missed the second "stole" between the "from"s :(
Do you mean?
Well done the people that the people you stole from stole from.
In which case you are welcome!

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:42 am
by Ralf
Well done the people that the people you stole from stole from.
That's too deep for me :D

But I guess it's something about borrowing levels from other games which is absolutely okay as long as you are honest with it.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:03 am
by R-Tape
Ralf wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:42 am
Well done the people that the people you stole from stole from.
That's too deep for me :D

But I guess it's something about borrowing levels from other games which is absolutely okay as long as you are honest with it.
Yep, and if it transpires that Aymeric du Peloux stole his levels off someone else that sentence will make my head explode!

I think it might be:
Well done the people that the people that the people you stole from stole from stole from.
***DISCLAIMER - THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL, AYMERIC DU PELOUX DID NOT, REPEAT NOT, STEAL HIS LEVELS!***

It's a reminder that I do need to add a readme.txt to the downloads page, and a message at the start of the game.

I'll just need to work out where each level came from first... :shock:

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:29 pm
by Nomad
Well it's a PSPACE-complete problem so stands to reason its going to be a tough cookie. :lol:

http://weetu.net/Timo-Virkkala-Solving- ... Thesis.pdf

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:35 pm
by Joefish
R-Tape wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:03 amI'll just need to work out where each level came from first... :shock:
Satan's armpit. :lol:

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:39 pm
by Joefish
Actually these smaller ones can be easier to solve methodically, since the decision trees aren't all that extensive. There are certain obvious moves at the start that turn out not to work, but if you look again often you only have a choice of one or two possible moves from any position, so at the point where you do have a choice, you simply try the less-obvious option and see what happens.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:56 pm
by R-Tape
Joefish wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:39 pm Actually these smaller ones can be easier to solve methodically, since the decision trees aren't all that extensive. There are certain obvious moves at the start that turn out not to work, but if you look again often you only have a choice of one or two possible moves from any position, so at the point where you do have a choice, you simply try the less-obvious option and see what happens.
I'd be interested to know what you make of level 26. It's one of these cases but I was totally blind to the move that opened the door, I spent a whole afternoon trying to do it (as I did a few years ago with SokobOne and forgot the trick). I wonder if a different set of eyes finds it quite straightforward.

Re: New demo: Pushbot

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:59 pm
by R-Tape
Nomad wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:29 pm Well it's a PSPACE-complete problem so stands to reason its going to be a tough cookie. :lol:

http://weetu.net/Timo-Virkkala-Solving- ... Thesis.pdf
I'm sure it's very normal for people with a maths/computer science background, but I love the fact that people do professional research into things like this. If you type 'Sokoban' into the web of science it brings up all manner of interesting stuff.

Another great one is the Sokoban level generator paper, I even wondered if it could be implemented on the Speccy - I think Einar tried and decided it was a no go.